Web materials such as plastic film are used for a variety of purposes including the sealing of other materials. Web materials are typically fabricated in roll form and used in their particular applications in the same form. However, such cylindrical products are often difficult to transport because they can become displaced relatively easily when subject to the conditions of roadway travel. In addition, it is undesirable to stack heavy cylindrical objects directly on one another because their weight can cause deformation. For those reasons, cylindrical objects such as web rolls are ordinarily retained by supports that space adjacent ones apart and prevent rolling movement. Such supports must be fabricated so that product damage is minimized. Failure to minimize damage during transport can cause defects that prevent use of the product for its intended purpose. Further, since it is most efficient to stack multiple layers of product for a single transport effort, the support must be strong enough to enable multi-layered stacking that does not cause product deformation.
Some supports for cylindrical products have been fabricated of polystyrene. The polystyrene supports generally provide sufficient strength to adequately protect a plurality of web rolls, for example, stacked together for transport. However, it is well known that polystyrene and other polymeric-based products are generally perceived as environmentally undesirable in that they are stable and unlikely to degrade over a long period. For that reason, there has been increasing interest in fabricating such web supports, and other sorts of packaging for that matter, from more environmentally friendly materials, including recyclable materials, such as molded pulp. Examples of molded pulp supports are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,899,331 and 5,934,467. Those references describe molded roll supports having recesses and depressions that provide structural strength to the rolls and that also provide retention sites for cradling the rolls to be transported.
For the most part, present molded supports have only one side (the smooth side) configured to support products having cylindrical characteristics, while the other side (the rough side) is designed to provide suitable structural support. In order to enable multi-layer stacking, the support structures are formed of pairs of molded supports pivotably connected. The pair of molded supports pivot onto each other so that the smooth sides face outwardly, while the rough sides are placed back-to-back. In that way, the rolls to be supported come in contact only with the smooth sides of the double-hinged, support structure
Unfortunately, the support structures that presently exist are not completely effective in preventing roll damage during transport. Specifically, the materials from which the support structures are molded have some compressibility so that when a plurality of relatively heavy objects are placed on a support structure, there is some thickness reduction. In addition, it is ordinary practice for transporters to place banding straps around the perimeter of a stack of objects. The banding is tightened to prevent individual objects in the stack from slipping. However, that tightening causes additional compression of the support material, particularly the hinged support structures. During transport, that additional compression that occurs after banding can result in less than complete retention of individual objects. As a result, the banding loosens and the objects become prone to spinning and other forms of displacement that can result in damage.
Further, the folding of pairs of molded supports to form the support structures is labor intensive. As such, the labor cost associated with using these types of support structures can be significant for the end users thereof. In addition, since the support structures are formed from pairs of molded supports folded onto each other, material cost becomes a significant portion of the overall cost of each support structure thereby increasing the overall cost of utilizing support structures to the end user. As such, it is desirable to provide a support structure which is formed from less material, and which is less expensive to manufacture than prior support structure.
In addition to increasing the overall cost of the support structure, the folding of the molded supports formed to the support structure creates two additional problems. First, the folded support structures have a tendency to unfold during the stacking of the cylindrical objects thereon. As a result, the stacking of the cylindrical objects on the support structures may become a difficult and time consuming task. Second, it is a common problem when folding the molded supports to misalign the supports such that the backs of such supports do not properly overlap. The misalignment of the molded supports on the cylindrical objects allows the cylindrical objects to shift back and forth during transport. As a result, the cylindrical objects supported by the improperly folded molded supports may be damaged.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a support structure for supporting cylindrical objects during transport.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a support structure for supporting cylindrical objects during transport that may be manufactured from a plurality of different materials, including molded pulp.
It is still a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a support structure for supporting cylindrical objects during transport that is formed from less material than prior support structures and that does not need to be configured by the end user after manufacture.
In accordance with the present invention, a support structure is provided for supporting an object. The support structure includes an elongated member extending along a longitudinal axis and having first and second sides and first and second edges. A first set of ribs projects from the first side of an elongated member that corresponds to a first set of depressions in the second side of the elongated member. The first set of ribs includes first and second ribs axially spaced from each other and from corresponding edges of the elongated member along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. A second set of ribs projects from the first side of the elongated member at a location axially spaced from the first set of ribs so as to define an object receiving cradle between. The second set of ribs includes first and second ribs axially spaced from each other along a second axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated member.
First and second ribs of the second set of ribs are axially spaced from corresponding edges of the elongated member along the second axis. It is contemplated that the support structure further include a first rib projecting from the second side of the elongated member which corresponds to a first depression on the first side of the elongated member between first and second ribs of the first set of ribs. A second rib projects from the second side of the elongated member at a location axially spaced from the first rib projecting from the second side of the elongated member so as to define a second side object receiving cradle therebetween. The second rib projecting from the second side elongated member corresponds to a second depression in the first side of the elongated member between the first and second ribs of the second set of ribs.
The first and second set of ribs of the first set of ribs and the second set of ribs have a predetermined height. In addition, the first and second ribs projecting from the second side of the elongated member have a predetermined height. The predetermined height of the first and second ribs of the first set of ribs and of the first and second ribs of the second set of ribs is generally equal to the predetermined height of the first and second set of ribs projecting from the second side of the elongated member.
The support structure may include a third set of ribs projecting from the first side of the elongated member at a location axially spaced from the second set of ribs so as to define a second object receiving cradle therebetween. The third set of ribs includes first and second ribs axially spaced from each other along a third axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated member. The first set of ribs projecting from the first side of the elongated member may include a first depression formed therein between the first and second ribs of the first set of ribs. The first depression corresponds to a first rib projecting from the second side of the elongated member. Further, the first side of the elongated member may include a second depression formed therein between the first and second ribs of the second set of ribs. The second depression corresponds to a second rib projecting from the second side of the elongated member. The first and second set of ribs projecting from the second side of the elongated member define a second side object receiving cradle therebetween.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a support structure is provided for supporting an object. The support structure includes an elongated member extending along a longitudinal axis and having first and second sides, first and second edges, and first and second ends. The first side of the elongated member includes a first plurality of ribs projecting therefrom, a second plurality of ribs projecting therefrom and a plurality of depressions formed therein. The first plurality of ribs are spaced between first and second ends along a first axis. Each of the first plurality of ribs are laterally spaced from the first edge. The second plurality of ribs are also spaced between the first and second ends along a second axis. Each of the second plurality of ribs is laterally spaced from the second edge. The plurality of depressions are spaced between the first and second ends along the third axis deposed between the first and second axis. Each of the first plurality of ribs is aligned with a corresponding rib of the second plurality of ribs along a corresponding axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding elongated member. Each of the plurality of depressions is disposed between one of the first plurality of ribs and one of the second plurality of ribs. Each of the plurality of depressions forms a corresponding rib projecting from the second side of the elongated member. The ribs projecting from the second side of the elongated member are spaced between the first and second ends along the third axis. The ribs projecting from the second side of the elongated member include a first rib and a second rib. The first rib and the second rib define the second side object receiving cradle therebetween. The first plurality of ribs projecting from the first side of the elongated member includes a first rib and a second rib. The first rib and the second rib partially define a first object receiving cradle therebetween. The second plurality of ribs projecting from the first side of the elongated member also includes a first rib and a second rib. The first rib and the second rib of the second plurality of ribs partially define the first object receiving cradle therebetween.
In accordance with a still further object and feature of the present invention, a support structure is provided for supporting a plurality of objects. The support structure includes an elongated member having first and second sides and first and second edges. First and second rib sections extend from the first side of the elongated member and are generally parallel to each other. Each rib section is spaced from a corresponding edge of the elongated member and includes an alternating series of arches and depressions.
The arches and depressions of each of the rib sections are aligned with each other. It is further contemplated that a first rib section extend from the second side of the elongated member. The first rib section extending from the second side of the elongated member is spaced from the edges of the elongated member and includes an alternating series of arches and depressions. The elongated member is preferably formed of molded pulp.